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Welsh Wednesdays Interview with Simon O’Neill

Today I have the pleasure to introduce one of my ‘oldest’ ehm longest online friends: Simon O’Neill. Although we live closer to each other now we yet have to meet in real life. So for now, welcome to Welsh Wednesdays Simon.First up, please tell my readers about your connection to Wales.

I live on the Jurassic Coast 18 miles west of Cardiff, am Welsh, and yes, we haven’t met yet Christoph.

Tell us a little about yourself as writer and as person.

I first dabbled in writing 15 years ago with scripts which developed further into attracting A-Listers to my work. Shame never went further until now. Once medically retired in 2008 I had more time to write and decided to convert all my paranormal screenplays to novels. 7 down 20 to go, LOL. When not writing I like to fossil hunt on our local beach, our garden is full of fossils but tends to get dug up by our cat.

Why did you decide to write in your chosen genre(s)?

Star Trek inspired me along with Stephen King and Graham Masterton way back in 2000 when I was a mere pup.

Tell us about the concept behind your book(s).

I will choose Magic Is Murder my horror novel as it is set partially in my home town and reveals an alternate history to the legend of The White Lady, a notorious ghost. I actually live on the site where she haunts. How cool is that? And that is where the idea came from. The lead actress to play Bianca, a serial killing bully of an author hopefully will be Jaime Murray of Dexter fame. As for the two male leads – Rowan Atkinson for Maldini The Magician and Keith Lemmon for Hugh, Bianca’s crooked cousin. The title song would be It Ain’t What You Do by Bananarama/FunBoyThree

Which Welsh person would you like to invite for dinner and what would you serve?

My alien erotica novella series Hot In Bigelow – book 1 Sizzling will be out Nov 7th about tea time. A ludicrously funny tale of three drunken amigos who witness a crashed spaceship but oh boy they get more than they bargained for when the aliens want to know all about sex.

What are the best and the worst aspects of writing?

Juggling valuable time between family and writing. Sometimes it is just not possible as family can never understand the importance of the art form. I am thankful my wife helps out so much.

Who are your editors and how do you quality control your books?

My wife is my editor and boy oh boy is she tough and as for quality control, well we work on that together. If it works don’t tinker with it.

How have you found the experience of self-publishing? What were your highs and lows?

Self -publishing is a joy to behold as it gives the author the freedom to write what they want, how they want and release the novel when they want. Can’t do that with trad publishers who will rip your book apart using an archaic method handed down for centuries just to keep great novels from being read and to protect their client list.

What is your advice to new writers?

Get a good editor and cover artist and off you go.

What is your favourite book?

Catch-22 by Joseph Heller

BIO/LINKS

British film producer Stuart St Paul has been commissioned to direct one of my books, Magic Is Murder, which is with a major Hollywood studio, and through this link I have become the editor of Shades Of Bad, Stuart’s Web Series conversion to a video enovel like no other.

My screenplay Flip Side, now a novel about a dead gangster who returns to the living world to sort out his family problems only to escalate a gang war is now in the hands of a Hollywood producer. Flip Side has been read by Ian McShane, Timothy Dalton, Gary Oldman, Clive Owen, Amanda Donohoe and they loved it. George Clooney and Hugh Grant liked it but declined. Sopranos meets Scrooge with a twist of It’s a Wonderful Life.

The Phantom Bigfoot Series is a teenage superhero adventure following Duane from his 18th birthday schlock surprise waking up as Phantom Bigfoot a genetically altered protector of his local tribe of Bigfoot. Scooby-Doo meets Animal House.

My screenplay Atlantis: Operation Ice Storm a WWII scifi thriller is also being considered by Hollywood producers. Ice Station Zebra meets The Thing

Next up will be Hot In Bigelow an alien erotica comedy novella series set in Arizona where the chariots fall like flies in winter. Hot In Bigelow: Sizzling release 7th Nov Hot In Bigelow: Steaming – Nov – Hot In Bigelow Scorching – Dec. X-Files meets Troma.

Visit my Amazon Author Page for full details and buy links. All books are just $0.99!!